USA to run ALL-NEW EPISODES of LO:CI this summer

NBC Media Village, 2.29.08

USA Network, the #1 network in basic cable, announced today that it will reclaim Sunday nights in dramatic fashion this summer with back-to-back original series, featuring the veteran hit LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, continuing season seven on Sunday, June 8 at 9/8c, and the newest in USA's roster of bold originals, IN PLAIN SIGHT, premiering immediately following at 10/9c. Full article

Thanks Peachybc!

Luca D'Onofrio

Associate Press, 2.20.08

Vincent D'Onofrio's wife delivered the perfect Valentine Day's gift: A new baby.

Luca D'Onofrio was born Feb. 14, Valentine's Day, to the "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" star and his wife, Carin, series spokeswoman Pam Golum told The Associated Press Wednesday.

The baby boy, who weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and his mother "are doing great," Golum said.

The couple has a 6-year-old son, Elias. D'Onofrio has a teenage daughter by a previous marriage.

Thanks Linda, Judy, Lynda, Lori, Mauigirl, Jean, Denise, Cari, and Stefanl!

Baby Boy Arrives

as posted by VDO Vault on USA Forums --

"We have the ok from Vincent to share his happy news -- he and Carin welcomed a healthy baby boy yesterday (February 14th, 2008)! They haven't decided on a name yet."

Thanks to Keiko, Denise and Animaltalker

Back to Work with CI Writer Diana Son

NYTimes Video, 2.14.08

A short video clip of LO:CI writer Diana Son following her on the morning of her first day back to work after the strike.

Click here and scroll down the page to the video section and click on first video "Back to Work".

Thank you to Peachybc's husband for this find!

From Picket Lines to Desk Jobs

NY Times, 2.13.08
By Brian Stelter

Weary writers didn’t seem to expect such a precipitous end to the three-month-old strike. “Everybody still has their stray doctor’s appointments and child care issues,” Warren Leight, the executive producer of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” said by phone Wednesday from a production office in midtown Manhattan, where he said staff members were arriving “in various sorts of rain gear.” “People are mustering as quickly as they can,” he said. more
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NY Times, 2.13.08
by Brooks Barnes

-excerpted-
In New York, Warren Leight, the writer-producer of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” was tucking into a delivered lunch with a bustling office filled with writers, producers and researchers. The “Criminal Intent” crew had no scripts banked when work stopped on Nov. 5, so on Wednesday they were just beginning to map out storylines for the next five episodes of the series.

“It’s like putting a harness back on,” he said. “Actually, like putting 10 harnesses back on.” more

Pounding the offbeat

The New Zealand Herald, 2.14.08
By Rebecca Barry

Vincent D'onofrio has a theory as to why his TV character, Detective Bobby Goren, is such a weirdo.

"He's a mess, an absolute mess," he says on the phone from New York. "I think he puts his mind on his work to keep himself sane, even though he's dealing with mostly insane people."

Goren is a pretty intelligent mess, even if fans of Law & Order: Criminal Intent will have noticed he's messier than usual.

What started out on paper as a Sherlock Holmes-type role soon morphed into a man who stares at people, pauses in funny places, cocks his head to the side or erupts in spontaneous anger - mannerisms that suggest he has more in common with a previous role as a psychotic killer in The Cell than a detective.

There are even inklings of Goren's feelings being hurt when people tell him what a "wack job" he is. Full article

Thanks Linda!

WGA MEMBERS VOTE TO END STRIKE!!!

From WGAE.org, 2.13.08

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK - The membership of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) today voted overwhelmingly in favor of lifting the restraining order and ending their 100-day strike that began on Nov. 5. 3,775 writers turned out in Los Angeles and New York to cast ballots or fax in proxies, with 92.5% voting in favor of ending the work stoppage.

"The strike is over. Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work," said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West. "This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet. Those advances now give us a foothold in the digital age. Rather than being shut out of the future of content creation and delivery, writers will lead the way as TV migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed." Full article

Thanks to Linda, Susan, Keiko, Denise, Cari, Amy and Peachy!!!!!
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Variety, 2.12.08
by Dave McNary

"SAG in the hot seat"
Leaders pressured to start talks

Pressure on SAG to reach a settlement on its film-TV contract is reaching a high level of intensity.

Leaders of the Screen Actors Guild are being pushed by high level talent, studios and other unions to defuse fears that actors could mimic writers and go on strike. And a campaign's been gaining steam -- with backing from Ben Affleck, Sally Field, Teri Hatcher and Charlie Sheen -- to impose an earnings requirement for SAG members to vote on whether the guild strikes.

Several top stars are planning on going public with their campaign to persuade SAG leaders to commit to negotiating a deal as early as possible, rather than wait until May or June to start talks. George Clooney voiced such a sentiment at last week's luncheon for Oscar nominees (Daily Variety, Feb. 5).

No talks have been scheduled yet for the SAG-AFTRA contract on feature films and primetime TV, which expires June 30.

The antistrike lobbying efforts kicked into high gear two weeks ago, after SAG president Alan Rosenberg and national exec director Doug Allen went public with their dissatisfaction over the DGA's tentative deal at a time when the WGA was still negotiating its pact with the moguls.
Full article

Thanks Amy!

Cable Networks Primed for End of Writers Strike

TVWeek, 2.10.08
By Jon Lafayette

"When the Writers Guild of America strike ends, cable networks are poised to quickly get their original scripted programming back on the air.

“We’re waiting with bated breath,” said Jeff Wachtel, executive VP for original programming at USA Network. “We are likely to have more original scripted series on the air this summer than any network” if the strike is settled soon, he said.

...."USA and other networks have shows already shot waiting to air, pilots produced and some summer series already greenlighted, just waiting for the writers to return. Executives said an incumbent scripted show could get back into production and on the air in as little as six weeks. A new show could be ready for air in 10 to 12 weeks.

USA has a new series, “In Plain Sight,” already shot. Veterans “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Monk,” “Psych” and “Burn Notice” will return. The network is working on turning its successful miniseries “The Starter Wife” into a series and has the pilot “To Love and Die” shot..." Full article

Thanks Peachybc!

Writers to Consider Deal Today That May End Strike

Washington Post, 2.9.08
By Lisa de Moraes and Paul Farhi

The strike that shut down Hollywood could be in its final hours.

A tentative, tightly held agreement between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the major studios will be presented today to thousands of striking writers in New York and Los Angeles in an effort to end the 14-week-old work stoppage.

If writers generally consent to the proposed three-year contract, the WGA's East and West Coast boards would probably approve the contract tomorrow, lifting the strike order and paving the way for formal ratification by the membership. That would send writers back to work Monday to resume production on dozens of network sitcoms and dramas that have mostly been in reruns since the strike began Nov. 5. more

Thanks Linda!
______________________________________

WGA reaches tentative deal!

WGA Presidents Letter
February 09, 2008

WGAE President Michael Winship and WGAW President Patric M. Verrone announce tentative deal.

"To Our Fellow Members,
We have a tentative deal.

It is an agreement that protects a future in which the Internet becomes the primary means of both content creation and delivery. It creates formulas for revenue-based residuals in new media, provides access to deals and financial data to help us evaluate and enforce those formulas, and establishes the principle that, "When they get paid, we get paid."

Specific terms of the agreement are described in the summary on our website and will be further discussed at our Saturday membership meetings on both coasts. At those meetings we will also discuss how we will proceed regarding ratification of this agreement and lifting the restraining order that ends the strike..."

Thanks Peachybc and Amy!

Friday's WGAE Picket at TimeWarner and CI "Fanwiches"

Strike Vibe- Variety, 2.8.08



...the WGA East drew more than 300 supporters on Friday, including Michael Moore, Tina Fey, Griffin Dunne, Seth Meyers, Rachel Dratch, David Chase, Terry George, Andrew Bergman, Tom Fontana, Warren Leight, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Jerry Coopersmith. more

Also

The LO:CI Writers at the Time Warner picket enjoy "Fanwiches" sent by the USA Network Forum fans from the Hello Deli.

Marygrace O'Shea, Jerome Hairston, Warren Leight, Siobhan Byrne O'Connor, Strike Captain Jackie Reingold, and Diana Son.

Thanks to Denise!

Letter from WGA Presidents to WGA members

From United Hollywood, Sunday, February 3, 2008

Letter From the Presidents - State of Negotiations

This was sent today by WGA Presidents Patric Verrone and Michael Winship to membership:

To Our Fellow Members,

While fully mindful of the continuing media blackout, we write you to address the rumors and reports that undoubtedly you have been hearing.

The facts: we are still in talks and do not yet have a contract. When and if a tentative agreement is reached, the first thing we will do is alert our membership with an e-mail message. Until then, please disregard rumors about either the existence of an agreement or its terms.

Until we have reached an agreement with the AMPTP, it is essential that we continue to show our resolve, solidarity, and strength.

Picketing will resume on Monday. Our leverage at the bargaining table is directly affected by your commitment to our cause. Please continue to show your support on the line. We are all in this together.

Best,

Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW

Thanks to Marianne C.

Deal to End Hollywood Writers’ Strike May Be Near

New York Times, 2.2.08
By MICHAEL CIEPLY

Informal talks between representatives of Hollywood’s striking writers and production companies have eliminated the major roadblocks to a new contract, which could lead to a tentative agreement as early as next week, according to people who were briefed on the situation but requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak.

A deal would end a crippling writers strike that is now entering its fourth month.

The agreement may come without renewed formal negotiations between the television and movie writers and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, though both sides still need to agree on specific language of key provisions. If that process goes smoothly, an agreement may be presented to the governing boards of the striking Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East by the end of next week, the people said.
more
______________________________________
Also:
From Variety, 2.2.08
Breakthrough in WGA talks
Sides closing in on tentative deal
By CYNTHIA LITTLETON, DAVE MCNARY

Talks between WGA leaders and top studio execs on Friday and Saturday have been productive enough to generate cautious optimism that a settlement to the more than three-month-old strike may soon be at hand.
WGA negotiating committee head John Bowman and WGA West exec director David Young had a lengthy meeting Friday with News Corp. prexy Peter Chernin and Walt Disney Co. CEO Robert Iger that was described as having gone well overall, despite some tension at the outset. It's understood that those conversations continued on Saturday, though it was not clear if it was by phone or face-to-face. Read the full article.

Thanks Amy!
________________________________
Also:
From LA Times, 2.2.08
Writers, studios said to have resolved key issues

Hollywood's striking writers and major studios have resolved their key differences in contract negotiations, moving them closer toward a final agreement that would end a 3-month-old walkout.

After two weeks of talks, the parties Friday bridged the gap on the central issues surrounding how much writers should be paid for work that is distributed via the Internet, said three people close to the talks who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential.

A final contract could be presented to the Writers Guild of America's board by late next week, the people said.

Attorneys from studios and the guild were meeting over the weekend to discuss contract language for the proposed agreement, which would have to be ratified by the union's 10,500 members. more

Thanks Linda!

CI Scribe Diana Son's play reviewed

Review: 'Satellites' provides pointed social commentary
By Pat Craig
2.1.08


Diana Son shows a frightfully accurate eye for contemporary detail in "Satellites," which opened Thursday in Berkeley's Aurora Theatre as what may be the first melodrama of 21st century urban married life.
Son, whose day job is writing for "Law and Order, Criminal Intent," is herself a young mother living in a Brooklyn brownstone. But no matter how fast-paced her own life, it is probably nothing like the social pressure cooker she's invented for Korean-American architect and mom, Nina (Julie Oda) and the human satellites who orbit around her in what seems to be an ever-tightening noose.

She is currently the sole support of her family, the baby and husband, Miles (Michael Gene Sullivan) a freelance computer guy, who is black and something of a disappointment to Nina's family. Nina's architectural partner, Kit (Ayla Yarkut), is increasingly frustrated by her own life and the fact she's carrying the full load of the business while Nina tends to the baby (but tries to relieve some of the burden by hiring a Korean nanny, Mrs. Chae (Lisa Kang), who actually creates more tension).
more

Thanks to StefanL of majorcase-ci.com

Wet WGA Members Picket Soap Studios

From Multichannel News, 2.1.08
By Linda Moss

Striking Writers Man Manhattan Lines Outside ‘One Life To Live’


Amidst rain and hail Friday, the striking Writers Guild of America East held a “large-scale” picket outside the One Life To Live studios in Manhattan.

More than 125 WGA members manned the lines, and when their picket signs got soaked they wrote their messages on their yellow rain slickers, which became billboards proclaiming the “On Strike” message.

The chant of the day, according to the WGA, was “We’re wet, we’re cold, but we will not fold.”

Tina Fey, Eric Begosian, Vincent D’Onofrio, Katie Erbe and screenwriter Bill Goldman joined the picketers today, as did WGA East president Michael Winship and executive director Mona Mangan. more

Thanks Linda! Thanks to Denise for the photo!

Thanks Denise!